Corporal Ophir Davidian

Daughter of Lilach and Assaf
Sister of Hadar (17 years old), Omer (15 years old), Or (12 years old) and Lir (6 years old)
Granddaughter of Miriam and Bentzi and the late Fergi and Suzan, first great-granddaughter of Rachel.

Ophir is the eldest daughter of Lilach (44 years old) and Asaf (46 years old), sister to four beloved sisters, the first granddaughter and great-granddaughter in the family.

Ophir had a warm and close relationship with all the members of her family, including her grandmother Miriam and grandfather Bentzi. She used to visit them every day, and call to check how they are doing if she didn't have time to visit them. One of the treats for her during her visits to their home was to enjoy Grandma Miriam's cooking that would be waiting for her on the stove.

Ophir had a warm relationship with her father, and she respected him especially. At her high school graduation party, Ophir went up to say words of thanks on stage and when she finished she greeted her father in front of the large crowd and called out: "Dad, happy birthday, I love you!"

Ophir's mother said that she was very sociable, loved life, and enjoyed being with family, especially on Saturdays and holidays. She was sort of a little mother to her sisters, responsible and caring.

Ophir used to go out during the "Darom Adom" blooming season event to see the anemones bloom and she especially enjoyed it when the family would take walks and picnic on Saturdays in nature, across the orchards and open pastures in the south. Ophir also liked to go on vacations in Eilat at least twice a year and enjoy the family time together.

Ophir had good friends, and she liked to spend time with them in their homes for "teambuilding evenings". They would also spend time together at parties at the "Forum" club and in restaurants.
Ophir was a graduate of her school's 45th class and was considered the "glue" of all the students in her class.

Ophir enlisted in the IDF on July 11, 2023, and did a general military bootcamp training at the "Mechve Alon" base in the north. Upon her bootcamp program completion, she was assigned as a police officer, but after waiting for about two weeks, the assignment was canceled due to lack of open positions. Ophir was reassigned as a logistics NCO and her mother made sure that she stayed close to home during her military service. Ophir was highly motivated to start her role. From the first moment she was invested in the tasks she received as well as in the people she worked with.

On October 7, 2023, ten terrorists infiltrated the Urim base where Ophir served, through the side fence. It was the first weekend Ophir ever spent at the base. Instead of immediately running to the shelter, Ophir took care of the soldiers who were with her and helped them reach the shelter next to the female soldiers' quarters. Experienced as she was with alarms since childhood, she calmed down her friends during the alarms, showed ease, calm and composure, and helped two friends to return to their quarters. The two hid under the beds and thus their lives were saved. When it was announced on the base's speakers that terrorists have infiltrated the premises, Ophir ran towards the operations room together with two other soldiers but the three were shot and killed on the spot.

Ophir's mother talked about the circumstances of her daughter's fall: "She was murdered while protecting her friends and her country that she loved so much and was ready to sacrifice her life for and so she did. My Ophir, may you rest in peace, a hero in green, an angel in white... We will always keep her with us and continue to follow her footsteps, follow the way she would have chosen, mainly through her tremendous joy of life that led her throughout her life. You will remain in our hearts forever and ever. May her memory be blessed, Amen.

Ophir's mother, Lilach, testified about the circumstances of her fall to "Edut 710", the historical evidence database of the October 7 2023 incidents. Her testimony is available here.

Ophir was energetic and colorful in her joy of life and had a captivating smile even when she was angry.
Ophir especially loved the field of design and make-up. After her fall and at her mother's request, a Swedish cosmetics company owned by Shaul Moalem, an Israeli businessman living in Sweden, immortalized Ophir in a makeup kit that was launched in her memory. You can read about the project in "My Net Beer Sheva" magazine at the link.

Ophir's family members recorded the little things that characterized her: the twitching of her nose when she laughed, the special dragging of her feet when she walked, the rolling of her eyes and her stubbornness. Every experience with her became unforgettable thanks to the tremendous joy of life that led her and thanks to her loud voice that could be heard far and wide. Ophir was loyal to her principles and pursued justice.

Ophir's favorite pets were her Uncle Tomer's horse Yardena and his dog called Bel, Tomer is her father's brother.

Ophir loved to spend time in her room. She also loved to drive. After her fall, her parents bought a new Skoda car and thus fulfilled Ophir's dream who wanted them to buy a car of this make for the family.

Ophir's favorite food was Grandmother Miriam's eggplant salad. Her family members remember with a smile that if someone approached the salad, she would warn them to keep away from it...

In September 2023, Ophir filmed herself singing her favorite song "Learning to Walk" by the famous Israeli arab singer Nasrin Kadri. After her fall, on October 24, 2023, Nasrin surprised Lilach, Ophir's mother, at the hotel where the family was staying and sang her the song that Ophir loved so much. Watch Nasrin's moving performance.

Ophir's image is immortalized in a painting on the wall of the youth center in Moshav Patish. In addition, memory dog tags were produced in her memory. All these and other commemorative actions are documented on the commemorative page in her memory that was opened on the REMEMBER website. Page link.

Below are some of Ophir's characteristics described in the words of Hadar, her sister, from her memorial page in REMEMBER:

"My anchor, my sister, what's going on? where did you go and when will you come back? My heart can't stand it, how did you leave us like this and just walk away? No goodbye, no nothing, that's how you went. Ophir was my eldest sister, Ophir is 18 years old, and she served at the Urim base because she wanted to be close to us as a family. At first, she wanted to serve in a combat unit and told everyone that she would be a fighter and there is no way in life that she won't do something significant. I always told whoever asked me that she was a spoiled but Moroccan girl, such a combative Moroccan, that I really felt sorry for anyone who would even talk to her when she was angry. On the first Sukkot holiday, the whole family sat, grandfather, grandmother, uncles, everyone, and she told everyone unequivocally that on the end of the holiday she would take some sick days and celebrate the holiday with us. She would not give up on grandma's food or the holiday meal. Ophir eventually did not take sick days, so she won't screw someone over, she packed her things and went to the base. My Ophiri, you called your mother in the middle of Shabbat Kiddush and asked her to bring you grandma's food, the food that was your favorite in the world, and everyone just laughed at you for how spoiled you are. "Eat food at the base" we said. Ophir, I wish I had known that there was also a chance you could get killed over there. Ophir, you sent us such fearful messages saying that you didn't want to be there, that you were afraid. And when I asked you if everything is fine and if you are afraid, you answered that everything is fine and you are safe, that you are not afraid at all, then they told us that they are taking your cell phone, that you will not be able to talk. But who would have thought that you would never talk to us again. My Ophir, you lit up any place you were in. The light of the house, the light of the family. I remember at every memorial of our late cousins, you always knew how to lift everyone's spirit, say that everything is for the best, throw these good jokes that you knew how to tell and make everyone laugh even in such situations. Ophir my older sister, I love you and I loved you more than anything in the world. You are my pride and inspiration. You are the best sister I could ask for. Every person that ever known you had the privilege to learn who Ophir is. When will you come and ask me to order food for you? Come back from work at one in the morning and we'll order something and stuff our faces like two fatties, or just go on night rides in the car, playing songs on full volume. I miss that unique laugh you had. I miss fighting with you. I miss you Ophir. I can't believe that we really won't see you and won't hear from you anymore. please get mad at me one last time. Yell at me for taking your clothes, your pen, your necklace, everything. Just talk to me one last time. The recordings you used to send me on WhatsApp. The best messages you knew how to write me. Ophir, I thank you for all these good years. Sorry we weren't there to help you. Sorry if I hurt you, if I did something that wasn't right by you. My eldest sister, you will forever be in my heart, you will forever be with me and by my side. It will never be physical again but always in my heart. I love you and I promise you that I will take care of our little sisters, me, mom, dad, everyone, whoever needs it, I promise you. Ophir, I miss you with every breath I take. Waiting for you to come back to me.
I will never feel pain for anyone else.
I will only feel pain for my sister, only for Ophir. My sister is an 18-year-old girl who enjoys every second of her life, who turns every shitty thing into the best thing there is! Her life was taken from her, and it hurts so much to know that she is not moving on with her life. I miss you forever and will wait for you forever.